After the Interview
by starkat1978
Summary: A take on what happened after the Job - Please review and comment! Rated t for later chapters
1. Chapter 1

Post Job…

After the Interview…

Jim and Karen watched as the security guard led Jan from Corporate with Michael following in tow. They still could not believe what they just saw – Michael had just informed Jan that she was being fired and that her job was the one being replaced. She had gone completely ballistic with David Wallace during Karen's interview, the end result was security being called. Fortunately for Karen, it had been at the end of her interview with Wallace so when he suggested that they break for an hour and then interview Jim after he calmed down the office.

After David told Michael that he would not be receiving the job and Michael "took his name out of consideration", Jim told Karen to go hang out with her friends. As he watched her leaved he realized that if Pam had been here now they would have gone into the hallway and talked about what they just saw. In fact other then the initial disbelief she did not seem fazed at all. Pam would have dissected the whole thing and made some analysis. Karen focused on the more serious things in life. His fingers were inching to get dial his cell and tell Pam what had happened and see what prank she was pulling on Dwight.

The feeling continued during his interview with Wallace and saw the note that Pam had put in his annual sales report. _Don't forget us when you're famous! _"Where do you see yourself in 10 years", David Wallace asked Jim, it was the one question he could not answer dishonestly.

"David, I would like to take my name out of consideration," Jim said standing up.

Wallace could not believe it what he was hearing, he had been about 5 minutes from saying, _"Well Jim, we would love to have you aboard here in Corporate." _Instead he asked, "Pardon me?"

"David, this is an amazing opportunity but I have to be honest, I am in love with someone in Scranton and we have never gotten the timing right. I want to see if it could work out and I don't think I could that in New York", Jim told him.

David said, "Jim sit down for a moment," Jim reluctantly sat down. "You know when I met my wife 15 years ago, I gave up a chance to go England and work with Barclay's. Instead I ended up driving to Florida and working at Disneyworld selling those stupid plastic mouse ears for six months while my wife finished up her degree Florida State. It took longer for me to get where I am today but it was worth it at the end. If you think this person is worth it just for chance it might work go for it. There will be other opportunities. I never regretted my decision once." Wallace got up and he and Jim shook hands. David shook his head and got on the phone to call his second choice in Scranton.

Jim ran out to the elevator and got his cell out. This was going to be the hardest call he ever made. Karen was basically a nice person and if he had been honest with her back in October there was possibly they could have still have friends but he knew Karen well enough to know this was going to be ugly.

He was not disappointed. Right after the interview Jim tracked her down to the restaurant she was having lunch at with her friends in the village. He tapped at the window to get her attention. Surprised Karen looked up and smiled. Excusing herself she went out to greet her boyfriend. "Hey how did it go, you were really vague on the phone," she asked.

"Can we go somewhere private?" Jim asked her not wanting to do this in front of her friends.

"Sure let me go my purse," she told him, wondering if this was it and she was about to get some sparkly on her ring finger.

She grabbed her bag and went across the street to the foundation. At the bench they sat down. "I took my name from consideration," Jim told her, clasping his hands together.

"Why, you were a sure thing," Karen exclaimed wondering what was happening when it hit her, "You did it for me didn't you – why – I can't say I would have done the same thing for you." She bent over to kiss him.

Jim gently put his hands between her and him, "No Karen that was not the reason why, even though I am sure you will probably get this job. You are a thousand times more qualified and motivated then me. This wasn't even supposed to be my career."

"Then why I don't get it."

"Its Pam, I am not over her and I don't think I will ever be," he told, watching her eyes start to tear up,.

"Oh my God, you are breaking up with me aren't you," Karen yelled.

"Karen we are not right for each and we never will be. We want different things. Even if Pam were not in the picture you and I are wrong for each other." Jim said.

"How could you say that," Karen said, "I love you, we can fix this. Pam does not even want you. If she did why didn't she come up to you in Stamford when she called off her wedding, didn't that cross your mind."

"I know and I know I should be kicking myself in the ass for doing this but its not fair to you Karen. You are ambitious and want all these things like New York and the corporate world. I hate paper, I do this to pay the bills. I hate management, I am 28 years old and I don't have a clue about what I want to do yet. The only thing I know is that I still have feelings for Pam and I want to start over again with her if she'll have me." Jim told her standing up.

"You son of a bitch," Karen said standing up and slapping him, not caring who saw the whole scene, "I hope she gets a restraining order against you."

Rubbing his sore cheek, he said gruffly, "Lets go, I'll drive you back to Scranton."

"You can go to hell Halpert, I would sooner ride donkey down the Hudson River then get in a car with you," Karen said, fresh tears falling down her face. She grabbed her back and hailed a cab to get to the train station.

Jim watched her go, relieved for that to be over but worried about what was going to happen next. He took his messenger bag and headed over the garage where his car was parked. Next thing he knew he was Hwy 80, headed back to Scranton, breaking every speed record he could until he made it back to the office. He entered in and realized that Michael's office was painted black and wondered what the hell had happened there today. Everyone welcomed him back and Jim thanked them and asked Phyllis where Pam was. She pointed to the conference room.

Pam was in the middle of telling the crew how sure she was that Jim got the job and hoped that he and Karen would be happy and how optimistic she was for herself when Jim popped his head in. "Pam are you free for dinner tonight", he asked, his heart pounding.

"Yes," she said, surprised.

"Then it's a date," he said smiling and closed the door so Pam could finish up.

Karen chose that particular moment to walk into the office. No one could ever accuse her of being a shrinking violet. She stormed into the conference and ordered the camera crew out. While Pam was leaving, Karen shot her look full of daggers. Then she grabbed Jim by the arm and stormed into the conference room, not caring how it looked to everyone. Karen had waited in Penn Station with the air conditioning turned off for an hour and then had a horrible train ride home filled with tears where she got a call from David Wallace turning her down for the corporate job and offering her Uticia instead. Uticia of places! But at that moment she didn't care if it was in Mars, anywhere but Scranton was good with her. In other words she was completely fired up and furious with those who had hurt her. Jim had the unfortunate luck to be the first one she saw when she got back in the office. She spent the next 30 minutes yelling at him and telling him what a loser he was and how he was not going to ruin the career she had spent 6 years building. When she was done she stormed out of the office, informed an entertained Michael that she was leaving for the day and essentially hissed at Pam. Karen pealed out of the parking lot, leaving tire tracks after her.

Jim slumped down at his desk, realizing that there were 8 sets of eyes on him. Dwight informed him that as a volunteer deputy he could have Karen ticketed for destroying public property. For once, not in the mood to joke around, Jim wrote up a referral for him.

"Here you go Dwight, take it over to Toby and have him sign it," Jim said pulling the referral off the pad and handing it off to him.

"But Jim," Dwight started.

"Do I look like I am joking," Jim snapped, annoyed and tired after such an emotionally drained day. Dwight quietly got up, realizing he respected this new side of Jim's personality. Realizing that Karen had sent him an email, Jim debated whether or not to open it and realized that it would be childish not too. The first line was in bold Arial typefont 72, "I hope you and your little girlfriend are happy loser", stood out like a sore thumb. Realizing all hopes of a civilized breakup were over, Jim just deleted it and set up a firewall for any personal emails from Karen.

Finally it was 5:00 and the office started to clear up. Jim and Pam were the last ones there. Jim got up to her desk. "Ready to go?" he asked.

Pam looked up at him, "I am but we could do this tomorrow – I totally understand."

"We have waited 5 years to do this, I really don't want to wait any longer. Just answer me this Pam and we can call it a night," Jim asked her, "do you having any feelings for me, other than friendship?"

Pam looked at the ground, not sure how to answer, afraid that her heart could be hurt again. "Pam?" Jim asked again gently, putting his hand on hers.

Pam nodded, "I do but I understand if you need time or would rather not go there." She told him.

Jim hugged her to him and kissed her gently. "I don't think I am in the mood to go to restaurant but how about we some takeout and go back to your place?"

"I would like that," Pam said.

"Great how about I meet you in at your place in hour?" he told her, kissing her again.


	2. Chapter 2

Chap 2

Jim walked Pam to her car. Watching her get in the little blue Toyota, he felt as if as huge weight had been lifted off him. It had been an emotionally draining day but he was looking forward towards a fresh start. He decided against going home, he still had some casual clothes in his overnight bag and since his apt was only 2 blocks from Karen's he figured he better laid low for a few hours. He went back in the office bathroom changed into a pair of jeans . Jim decided to wear the same shirt just remove the tie. Sure enough on the way to pick up Chinese from the restaurant near his home, he saw Karen pulling up to the pizza place across the street. Not in the mood for a 2nd go around, he grabbed his food and took off to Pam's.

Pam in the meantime drove home and went through her closet. The selection ranged from meager to pathetic in regards to a romantic, causal evening at home. Picking out a yellow sundress that didn't scream nun or office appropriate, she processed to do her hair and make-up. With that done she cleaned her apt a little. At 6:30 her doorbell rang and there was Jim at her doorstep with 2 bags of food and a bouquet of wildflowers. "Hey", he said, in his breathless way.

"Hi", she said, not quite sure what the proper etiquette was for this kind of date. Truth be told she was out of practice with dating and the intensity of the situation was giving her a lot of anxiety.

"These are for you," he said giving her the bouquet.

"Thanks, let me get a vase for them," Pam told Jim, taking them, burying her face in them. She took in their sweet fragrance, thankful for having something to do with her hands. She walked into her kitchen to get a glass vase from her kitchen cabinet on the top shelf. Jim watched her try and reach for the vase from the cabinet. Watching her struggle he walked up behind her told the vase, startling her. Feeling him behind her, she jumped and nearly knocked a couple of glasses over in the process. "Easy there Beesley," Jim told her, putting the vase on the counter.

They held the gaze for a moment, Jim staring at her with that intense gaze of his, Pam returning it. Doing something he had never down before, he pulled his hands on her sides and waited for moment to see what she would do. She just stood there and he took it as an invitation, to start stroking her backside, bent down to kiss her. She responded back, putting her hands on his back and after a few minutes started to grab his shirt. They went on like this for a few moments, until they were both breathless. "Wow," Jim said, "that was amazing." He held Pam in his arms, against this chest.

"I know," she replied, listening to Jim's heartbeat.

Slowly, Jim undid his arms and gazed down at Pam, "But this is not what I came here for Pam."

Disappointed, she asked, "what did you come here for, I thought you wanted more."

"I do what more, I also don't want to blow this by moving too fast," Jim told and realizing how much like Michael he was sounding, "We have waited so long to get the timing right, it would kill me if this died before we even got a chance. I have a lot I want to tell you and I can't tell you when we are kissing."

Pam nodded, "I know, listen, I set the table before you came – could you please put the food out and I will finish with these flowers.

A few minutes they were seated at Pam's small table. She had brought over a bottle of wine she had been saving which Jim opened for the two of them. "So," she said.

"So," he said, "A little of drama today. Could you please tell me why Michael's office was painted black today?"

Pam proceeded to tell him about Dwight and Andy painting the office black as attempt to kill hope in the office. By the time she got to the part were Michael got back and called Dwight an incompetent manager Jim was in hysterics. "I can't believe I missed all of that," he said, rubbing his eyes, "God what a day."

Jim got silence has he remembered the events of the day, the mood becoming more somber. Pam looked at him, wondering if he was going to cry. Taking his hand gently, "Do you miss her, if you do I understand," she told him.

"It's not that," Jim said, wondering how to explain this without screwing up and having her kick him out of her apartment. "Part me of does miss her, Karen was a good friend, you know I don't have to tell you that. I started to hang out with in her Stamford, when I was trying to get over you. She is witty and I knew she was attracted to me. It was a mistake to get involved with her, I was trying to forget you and used her to do that. I feel awful about that part, Karen didn't deserve this."

"I understand Jim, believe me, I speak from experience, better now than waiting 10 years to end a bad relationship. I didn't want to hurt Roy after Casino Night, but it physically hurt to walk away from you. I fully intended to marry him. Until the week before anyway – I woke up one morning and wondered I was doing. I realized that I was going to be married forever more and I had an anxiety attack. I couldn't breathe so I took the day off and went on a hike. I nearly went up to Stamford to see you but I couldn't do that to you. It wouldn't have been fair to you to put all of that on you after everything we said that night and it wasn't to fair for Roy for me to marry him." Pam told him, appreciating his honesty.

Jim realized how close he got to falling into the same trap. "I wish you had come up, the whole thing nearly killed me. The thing is this, I realized after a few dates that Karen and I were wrong for each other. We both want different things. I know I don't want to do this for the rest of my life and every time I mentioned that she would brush it off. She has planned out her entire life and the thought of any diversion freaked her out. The concept of taking a mental health day was an abomination. When we had our 6 month anniversary a few weeks ago I suggested taking a long weekend and flying out to Vegas – she nearly had a heart attack. It's my fault, I take full responsibility for this, Karen is a really nice person, a good friend for me but not a partner."

"Jim, I have to know, why did you pull your name today?," Pam asked, her dinner forgotten, "you would have really been terrific at it."

"It's funny you asked, I was getting my sale reports out for David Wallace and I saw your note. It's the stupidest thing, I have probably worked harder at this job this year than anything else I have ever done but I realized how much I would have hated this job. Karen convinced me that I would have flourished at this and I really thought I would be great at it. I would have been great at it Pam but I would have hated it. I saw Jan get fired today and it was completely heartless. Karen kept saying how much Jan deserved it and realized after reading your note this isn't what I want to do and this isn't the direction I want my life to go. I want a real chance with you and I know I can't do that from New York. I want my life to mean something and I can't see myself doing any of this without taking a real chance." Jim looked at her with that intense glaze of his. Pam realized with her toes curling, the chance he wanted to take. "I love you Pam, I always have and I always will. There have been times that I didn't want to and I really tried to stop with Karen but I can't. But I need to know, why didn't you try and connect me after your wedding was cancelled?"

"I love you too Jim, I want you to know that. I can't tell you when exactly but I know that started having feelings for you a lot ago but told myself it was due to a lack of interest from Roy. You have to understand that I have been with Roy for 10 years, since I was a junior in high school. Do you realize that I haven't dated as adult? It's really easy to convince yourself when you haven't had much experience that complicity is love. When you told me how you felt and I knew I couldn't go through with the wedding, I realized 2 things. It would be easy to go up to Stamford but I didn't know how you would react and it wasn't fair to you. Also I didn't know myself very well, I want to make sure that what I felt for you was real and not a fantasy. This year hasn't been easy for me, but I am glad that I did it, I know myself better. I haven't made it easy for you the last couple of years but I want to take a chance too. I know I can do a better job now then last year." Pam told him.

Jim looked at her. He believed her and realized that she needed this time. He also knew they could make it work. Taking her hand, he stood up and pulled her to him, giddy with the reality that for once they really had all the time in the world. "I love you Pam," he whispered in her year, kissing her earlobe.

Pam hugged him back, "I know, I love you too."

They walked to her living and turned on the TV, realizing they had all the time in the world. "Beasley, I can't believe you , is there a Sandra Bullock movie you do not own?', Jim teased her.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah – just pop in Speed, you know you fantasized about her in 1994," Pam said, throwing a pillow.

"Hahaha, watch it Pam – violence only breeds violence," Jim told her, throwing the pillow back to her.

"Really – what are you going to do about it," Pam said throwing the offensive pillow back. She didn't even have a chance, before she knew it, Jim pounced on her pushing her back on to the couch.

"What do you have to say know?" he asked her looking deeply with her eyes.

"Why don't you just shut up and show me what you want to do?" Pam told wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Don't mind if I do," Jim said. First he kissed her forehead, then her nose, chin, shoulders and finally her mouth. The movie played in the background and by the time Keenu Reeves had boarded the bus they had headed into her bedroom. By the time the train had derailed they were in her bed. Their hearts were racing.

"Wow," Jim said.

"Wow indeed," Pam replied.

They laid there with their hearts racing watching the stars and wondering about the future and realizing whatever happened, they were in it together.


End file.
